Beware ‘doctors’ out for bucks

A caution to residents – scamsters are posing as medical professionals.

Investigations into a local doctor’s surgery yielded more questions than answers, after a resident claimed he was provided incorrect medication by the presiding ‘doctor’.

Plus, he was also asked to fork out close to R1 000.

The resident explained after consulting with the ‘doctor’, and upon realisation the pills were ineffective, he had the contents of the tablets examined privately.

Far from what he needed, the medication is used to treat heart disease.

“I demanded to see the owner, who told me the ‘doctor’ is only a consultant.”

After meeting with numerous representatives, the resident was dissatisfied and opened a criminal case against the practice.

“If it had been another time, my life could have been in danger.”

The resident and an official from the SAPS visited the surgery the next week, only to be informed the receptionist and the ‘doctor’ had been dismissed.

In a private meeting, the business owner defended himself.

Initially stating the ‘doctor’ was a client who had seen an opportunity to make a fast buck, the owner claimed the complainant himself was in cahoots with the scamster.

“Business owners should be aware of people trying to put them in trouble and trying to extort money from them.”

A source with vast knowledge in the medical field, said complaints of this nature were best referred to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), which had a primary mandate to protect the public.

“Once the HPCSA receives the matter, it will determine the correct course of action or not, based on information available to them.”

This action, he added, might include charging a doctor (if registered) for malpractice, or referring the matter to the SAPS (if not registered).

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